ACC vs. Big Ten - The Fans Speak Out

Basketball Digest, Feb, 2002 by Gary Black

In your college preview issue [December 2001], you put Duke No. 1 and Maryland No. 2. Are you telling me that once again the ACC is better than the Big Ten? I would take Illinois on any court in America and play Duke and Maryland right now and win by 10 points.

You must also look at your All-American teams. For those of you who remember Michael Olowokandi from Pacific (now the Los Angeles Clippers), he's a little better than your first-teamer, Western Kentucky's Chris Marcus.

I disagree with your choice of Sam Clancy as your first-team power forward. Lonny Baxter of Maryland is way better than him.

Here's my All-America teams. Compare and take notes.

First Team: Jason Williams, Duke; Juan Dixon, Maryland; Jason Kapono, UCLA; Lonny Baxter, Maryland; Kevin Lyde, Temple.

Second Team: Marcus Carr, Cal State-Northridge; Preston Shumpert, Syracuse; Mike Dunleavy Jr., Duke; Udonis Haslem, Florida; Chris Marcus, Western Kentucky.

Third Team: Lynn Greer, Temple; Casey Jacobsen, Stanford; Brian Cook, Illinois; Sam Clancy, USC, Melvin Ely, Fresno State.

Gary Black
Encino, Calif.

While individual stars do not a conference make, it's interesting that you list four ACC players on your All-America squad and only one from the Big Ten. And surely to your chagrin, on November 27, Maryland handed Illinois its first loss of the season, 76-63.